Second Treatise of Government — Page 6

English → Fr Book II Level 9/10

But though this be a state of liberty, yet it is not a state of licence: though man in that state have an uncontroulable liberty to dispose of his person or possessions, yet he has not liberty to destroy himself, or so much as any creature in his possession, but where some nobler use than its bare preservation calls for it.

Mais bien que cet état soit un état de liberté, ce n'est pourtant pas un état de licence : bien que l'homme dans cet état ait une liberté sans contrainte de disposer de sa personne ou de ses biens, il n'a pas pour autant la liberté de se détruire lui-même, ni même de détruire quelque créature que ce soit en sa possession, sauf lorsqu'un usage plus noble que sa simple préservation l'exige.

The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it, which obliges every one: and reason, which is that law, teaches all mankind, who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions:

L'état de nature est régi par une loi de la nature qui oblige chacun : et la raison, qui est cette loi, enseigne à tous les hommes, pour peu qu'ils la consultent, qu'étant tous égaux et indépendants, nul ne doit nuire à autrui dans sa vie, sa santé, sa liberté ou ses biens :

for men being all the workmanship of one omnipotent, and infinitely wise maker; all the servants of one sovereign master, sent into the world by his order, and about his business; they are his property, whose workmanship they are, made to last during his, not one another's pleasure:

car les hommes étant tous l'ouvrage d'un créateur tout-puissant et infiniment sage, tous les serviteurs d'un seul maître souverain, envoyés dans le monde par son ordre et pour ses affaires, ils sont sa propriété, dont ils sont l'ouvrage, faits pour durer selon son bon plaisir et non selon le bon plaisir les uns des autres :

and being furnished with like faculties, sharing all in one community of nature, there cannot be supposed any such subordination among us, that may authorize us to destroy one another, as if we were made for one another's uses, as the inferior ranks of creatures are for our's.

et étant pourvus de facultés semblables, participant tous à une même communauté de nature, on ne saurait supposer entre nous une telle subordination qui nous autoriserait à nous détruire les uns les autres, comme si nous avions été faits pour l'usage les uns des autres, ainsi que les rangs inférieurs des créatures le sont pour le nôtre.

Vocabulary

Mais: Conjunction meaning 'but', used to contrast ideas.
bien: Adverb meaning 'well' or 'indeed'.
que: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that' or 'what'.
cet: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' before vowel sounds.
état: Noun meaning 'state' or 'condition'.
soit: Subjunctive form of 'être', meaning 'be' or 'let it be'.
un: Indefinite article or numeral meaning 'a' or 'one'.
de: Preposition meaning 'of', 'from', or 'about'.
liberté: Noun meaning 'freedom' or 'liberty'.
ce: Demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning 'this' or 'it'.
n': Contracted negation particle used before a vowel.
est: Third-person singular of 'être', meaning 'is'.
pourtant: Adverb meaning 'however' or 'yet', showing contrast.
pas: Negation particle meaning 'not', used with 'ne'.
licence: Noun meaning 'license' or excessive, unchecked freedom.
l': Contracted definite article meaning 'the' before vowels.
homme: Noun meaning 'man' or 'human being'.
dans: Preposition meaning 'in' or 'within'.
ait: Subjunctive form of 'avoir', meaning 'has' or 'have'.
une: Feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'one'.
sans: Preposition meaning 'without'.
contrainte: Noun meaning 'constraint', 'restriction', or 'compulsion'.
disposer: Verb meaning 'to dispose of' or 'to have use of'.
sa: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
personne: Noun meaning 'person' or pronoun meaning 'no one'.
ou: Conjunction meaning 'or', offering an alternative.
ses: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its' (plural).
biens: Noun meaning 'goods', 'property', or 'possessions'.
il: Personal pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it'.
a: Third-person singular of 'avoir', meaning 'has'.
pour: Preposition meaning 'for', 'in order to'.
autant: Adverb meaning 'as much', 'for all that', or 'therefore'.
la: Feminine definite article or pronoun meaning 'the' or 'her'.
se: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself', 'herself', or 'itself'.
détruire: Verb meaning 'to destroy' or 'to ruin'.
lui-même: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself' or 'itself'.
ni: Conjunction meaning 'nor', used in negative constructions.
même: Adverb or adjective meaning 'even', 'same', or 'itself'.
quelque: Adjective meaning 'some' or 'any', indicating vagueness.
créature: Noun meaning 'creature' or 'living being'.
en: Preposition or pronoun meaning 'in', 'on', or 'of it'.
possession: Noun meaning 'possession' or 'ownership' of something.
sauf: Preposition meaning 'except' or 'unless'.
lorsqu': Conjunction meaning 'when', used before a vowel.
usage: Noun meaning 'use', 'usage', or 'custom'.
plus: Adverb meaning 'more' or 'no longer' in negation.
noble: Adjective meaning 'noble', 'elevated', or 'dignified'.
simple: Adjective meaning 'simple', 'plain', or 'mere'.
préservation: Noun meaning 'preservation' or 'protection' of something.
exige: Verb meaning 'requires' or 'demands', third-person singular.
L': Contracted definite article 'le/la' before a vowel sound.
nature: Noun meaning 'nature', the natural world or essence.
régi: Past participle of 'régir', meaning 'governed' or 'ruled'.
par: Preposition meaning 'by' or 'through'.
loi: Noun meaning 'law' or 'rule'.
qui: Relative pronoun meaning 'who', 'which', or 'that'.
oblige: Verb meaning 'obliges' or 'compels', third-person singular.
chacun: Pronoun meaning 'each one' or 'everyone'.
et: Conjunction meaning 'and', connecting words or clauses.
raison: Noun meaning 'reason' or 'rational faculty'.
cette: Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' (feminine form).
enseigne: Verb meaning 'teaches' or 'instructs', third-person singular.
à: Preposition meaning 'to', 'at', or 'in'.
tous: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all' or 'everyone'.
les: Definite plural article meaning 'the'.
hommes: Noun meaning 'men' or 'human beings' (plural).
peu: Adverb meaning 'little' or 'few'; 'pour peu que' means 'provided'.
qu': Contracted 'que', meaning 'that' or 'who' before a vowel.
ils: Personal pronoun meaning 'they' (masculine or mixed group).
consultent: Verb meaning 'consult' or 'refer to', third-person plural.
étant: Present participle of 'être', meaning 'being'.
égaux: Adjective meaning 'equal', plural masculine form.
indépendants: Adjective meaning 'independent', plural masculine form.
nul: Pronoun or adjective meaning 'no one', 'null', or 'void'.
ne: Negation particle used with 'pas' or other negatives.
doit: Verb meaning 'must' or 'owes', third-person singular.
nuire: Verb meaning 'to harm' or 'to be detrimental to'.
autrui: Pronoun meaning 'others' or 'other people'.
vie: Noun meaning 'life'.
santé: Noun meaning 'health'.
car: Conjunction meaning 'because' or 'for', giving a reason.
ouvrage: Noun meaning 'work', 'creation', or 'craftsmanship'.
d': Contracted preposition 'de' before a vowel, meaning 'of'.
créateur: Noun meaning 'creator' or 'maker'.
tout-puissant: Adjective meaning 'almighty' or 'all-powerful'.
infiniment: Adverb meaning 'infinitely' or 'boundlessly'.
sage: Adjective meaning 'wise' or 'prudent'.
serviteurs: Noun meaning 'servants' or 'attendants' (plural).
seul: Adjective meaning 'alone', 'only', or 'sole'.
maître: Noun meaning 'master', 'teacher', or 'lord'.
souverain: Noun or adjective meaning 'sovereign' or 'supreme ruler'.
envoyés: Past participle of 'envoyer', meaning 'sent' (plural).
le: Masculine definite article or pronoun meaning 'the' or 'him'.
monde: Noun meaning 'world' or 'people'.
son: Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'.
ordre: Noun meaning 'order', 'command', or 'arrangement'.
affaires: Noun meaning 'affairs', 'matters', or 'business' (plural).
sont: Third-person plural of 'être', meaning 'are'.
propriété: Noun meaning 'property', 'ownership', or 'estate'.
dont: Relative pronoun meaning 'whose', 'of which', or 'from which'.
faits: Past participle of 'faire', meaning 'made' or 'done' (plural).
durer: Verb meaning 'to last' or 'to endure'.
selon: Preposition meaning 'according to' or 'depending on'.
bon: Adjective meaning 'good' or 'kind'.
plaisir: Noun meaning 'pleasure', 'delight', or 'will'.
non: Adverb meaning 'no' or 'not'.
uns: Pronoun meaning 'some' or 'ones', used in expressions.
des: Partitive or plural article meaning 'some' or 'of the'.
autres: Pronoun or adjective meaning 'others' or 'other'.
pourvus: Past participle of 'pourvoir', meaning 'provided' or 'equipped'.
facultés: Noun meaning 'faculties', 'abilities', or 'powers' (plural).
semblables: Adjective or noun meaning 'similar', 'fellow beings'.
participant: Verb meaning 'participating' or 'sharing in' (present participle).
communauté: Noun meaning 'community' or 'shared group'.
on: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'one', 'we', or 'people'.
saurait: Conditional of 'savoir', meaning 'could' or 'would know'.
supposer: Verb meaning 'to suppose' or 'to assume'.
entre: Preposition meaning 'between' or 'among'.
nous: Personal pronoun meaning 'we' or 'us'.
telle: Adjective meaning 'such' (feminine form).
subordination: Noun meaning 'subordination' or 'hierarchical dependence'.
autoriserait: Conditional of 'autoriser', meaning 'would authorize' or 'allow'.
comme: Conjunction meaning 'as', 'like', or 'since'.
si: Conjunction meaning 'if' or adverb meaning 'so'.
avions: Imperfect of 'avoir', meaning 'we had'.
été: Past participle of 'être', meaning 'been'.
ainsi: Adverb meaning 'thus', 'so', or 'in this way'.
rangs: Noun meaning 'ranks' or 'rows', indicating hierarchy (plural).
inférieurs: Adjective meaning 'inferior' or 'lower' (plural masculine).
créatures: Noun meaning 'creatures' or 'living beings' (plural).
nôtre: Possessive pronoun meaning 'ours'.

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